Folding box



May 4, 1937. H. G. SCHMIDT FOLDING BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1955 HL GZSCH'HUJI y BYQwA L) ATIRNEY May 4, 1937., M G, SCHMm-r 2,079,087

FOLDING BOX Filed OCT.. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OGC :llc/oc cfa o oo 0 o ov INVENTOR ff. G. ,SC/H77 d f Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES PATE NT oEFicE l i FoL/gisox Henry G. Schmidt, Modesto, Calif.

Application October 5, 1935, Serial No. 13,676

y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to folding boxes; particularly representing improvements and simplications over the box shown `in my Patent No. 1,936,608, dated November 28, 1933, making it easier to manufacture and assemble the box, and providing for increased strength against collapse or distortion without anyincrease in the weight or manufacturing' costs of the box.

These objects I accomplish by .means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several rious modified forms of box-side construction and means to lock the end flap against displacement.

Referring now more particularly to the characters 'of reference on the drawings,`and particularly at present to Figures 1 to 4,` the box is formed from anne-piece blank B of relatively st iii' but bendable material of suitable character, having the necessary -ber strength combined with a certain springy flexibility and including a. bottom i, side walls 2, and end walls 3. The edges of the bottom are scored as at 4, the scoring enabling the blank to be manipulated so that the 4 sides and ends may be bent to a vertical position from an initially flat or horizontal position.`

Projecting from the end edges of the sides 2 are wings'W whose length corresponds to the height ofthe boxxiwhich is that of the side and 45 end walls) and in ordinary sized boxes is substantially half the width of the box. ,The lower edges E of the Wings extend as direct continuations of the lines of scoring 4. The wings are 50 sections 5 and 6 by extra wide scoring 'l extending diagonally ofthe box from the corners of the bottom. When the sides and ends of the box l are vertically disposed and the wings are bent 'at right angles to the sides along the line of b5 scoring 8 provided therebetween, the edges E lie sections of a box adjacent one end; showing vadivided into what may be considered two equal adjacent and parallel to the bottom of the box and the inner edges of the wing sections 6 are adjacent each other.

The adjacent lower or inner sections 6 of the wings are then secured to the end walls by suit- 5 able adhesive A applied either to the inner faces of said sections, as shown in Figure l, or to the inner face of the end walls 3, asl indicated in Figure 3. The wing sections are secured to the end walls in' the proper position at the time of 10 manufacture and just before the folding operations, the remaining upper or outer sections ti of the wings being unadhered. The wide scoring l (about gag inch) facilitates unfolding of the wing sections through the necessary 90 when erecting 15 the boxandgives great ease ofoperation, since the sections then bend readily about said scoring The wing sections 5 are cut so that their upper edges extend as straight continuations of the upper edges of the sidewalls 2, while the outer edges of the .sections 8 are cut so as to curve about a center taken at the junction of the edges E with the scoring 8.'

The sides and ends of the box are therefore permanently tied together' and the ends are braced and strengthened Iby the double thickness of material thus provided. At the same time the parts of the box may be folded or laid out dat as shown in Figure 2 without any strain or distor- 30 tion such as would weaken the box and impair its rigidity and appearance when erected for use. Additional strength is imparted to the upper unadhered sections 5 of the wings by curved ribs 9 struck therein, which are concave relative tothe inside of the box. These ibs insure movement of the wing portions to` an upright position without possible buckling. I

Flaps Ill substantially the same height as .the sides 2 project outwardly from and extend along 40 the outer edges of said sides `from end to end, scoring II being provided in the material along the line of junction of said flaps with the sides. Shallowvertical inwardly projecting ribs l2 are formed in the iiaps adjacent their ends to not only strengthenthe flaps, but also to aid in maintaining the endfiaps of the box locked, as will be seen later. Y

Formed withand projecting outwardly from the end walls 3 are iiaps i3 the `same height as. 5g

but. slightly less in width vthan said end walls;

the `blank being scored as at I4 between the flaps i, and end walls to provide for a relative bending movement therebetween. Relatively narrow gether.

flaps I5 are formed along the outer edges of the naps I3 to rest on the bottom of the box when said aps I3 are in place, scoring I6 being provided in the blank along the line of ,junction of said iiaps. Shallow inwardly projecting ribs I1 are formed along the flaps I5 to stiffen the same. Projecting from the side edges of the flaps I3 and I5 are serrations in the form of sharp teeth I8, the bottom of the tooth spaces being substantially on a line with the side edges of the end walls 3.

When the box is sold to the user the end walls lie in longitudinal alinement with the bottom and the iiaps I3 and I5 may either lie fiat in outstretched relation or folded over onto the adjacent portions of the folded sides, as shown in Figure 2.

Whenrit is desired to use the box the sides are opened up and the ends automatically move or fold toward each other -so that the sides and ends move toa vertical cooperating position to- 'I'he flaps I3 are then folded down inside the box, the serrations or teeth I8 being automatically deflected or bent from a straight-out position as they engage the sides and move past the ribs I2 with the downward pressure on the flaps. These serrations or teeth forming a number of small individual and easily bent projections, it is unnecessary to score the flaps along the bottom of the teeth in order for them to bend properly, and they thus maintain themselves in snug frictional engagement with the sidewalls of the box.

The flaps I3 ofcourse enclose the wings and hold the latter rigidly in position and prevent any unfolding or separating movement between the side and end walls. The upper edges of the wing sections 5 extending straight across the box at the top, are closely engaged by the folded over flaps I3 and prevent a possible collapse of the latter along the top where they are weakened by the wide scoring I4. The engagement of the teeth I8 with the side walls holds the flaps rigidly in a vertical position without the use of adhesive; the endmost ribs I2 preventing any advancing they occupy when the flaps I3 are disposed in closerelation with the wings.

l When the flaps I8 are folded inwardly and are rigidly adhered to the side walls a double-ply portion of material is provided in th sides of orderA to insure against upward movement of theflaps I5 from position, the bottom edges of the flaps I0 may be cut out from their ends as at 2| for a height and length equal to the end area of the aps I5,`so that the latter will be received in the shallow sockets or grooves thus formed, and will be firmly held against displacement independently of the teeth. The parts of the box are thus rmly held in place without the necessity of thev user employing adhesive of any character and the box is placed in condition for use in but a few seconds of time.

To stiffen the end walls 3 so that they will not bulge inwardly of the box, shallow vertical ribs I9 are struck in' the same adjacent its ends, said ribs projecting outwardly of the box. Similar ribs 20 may also be formed in the flaps I3 to project inwardly of the box.

movement of the teeth from the position ,which- In the form of box shown in Figure 5 the general construction is the same. The vertical edges of the side flaps Illa are spaced from the folded wings Wsuiiiciently to leave grooves or panels 22 to receive the side edges of the flaps I3a, which are devoid of teeth. An inwardly projecting shallow rib 23 is preferably formed down each such edge of the flaps Illa, so as to increase the depth of the groove 22. The bottom ap receiving sockets 2Ia are also retained.

In Figure 6 the tooth edged flap construction is retained but the side flaps Iilb are provided at the bottom and adjacent their ends with notches 24 to receive the ends of upstruck and relatively large ribs 25 formed on the bottom flaps I5b, there being one such rib on each flap. In this manner an even more secure locking of the flaps in place is obtained.

In the construction of Figure '7 the toothed flaps are retained but the side walls of the box are of a single thickness, the side flaps I0 or their equivalent being omitted. To then strengthen the relatively thin sidesr against collapse, they are therefore longitudinally ribbed adjacent the top, as at 26, a number of vertically spaced ribs being preferably provided; while vertical endflap engaging ribs I2a are also provided.

In Figure 8 the sidesof the box are strengthened by relatively short inturned flaps 21 bent inwardly of the sides along the top and secured thereto. In this instance the end-flap retaining ribs are shown as replaced by vertical rows of inwardly projecting circular protrusions 2B.

In all cases the various score lines are designed as to Width in proportion to the thickn'ess of the box material used and with regard to the degree of bending required, so asv to provide for the necessary folding and unfolding operations without tearing or destroying the fibers of the material, while avoiding an undue springiness along the lines of bending. Forr instance, the scores I I must be wider than the scores 4 because the flaps 'III must fold 'through 180 while the sides or ends' as set forth herein. l

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,y

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from' the spirit of the invention, as dened by the appended claims. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A folding box formed from a one-piece bendable blank cut to form bottom, side and end walls, means integral with the blank and connecting the adjacent side and end walls in a manner to enable said walls to be disposed in vertical cooperating relation with each other or to lie in iat folded relation to the -bottom wall, flaps formed with the end wall as extensions along the top edges thereof and adapted to be folded over into the box after the Yside and end walls have been vertically disposed and enclosing the connecting means thereof to prevent folding movement of the walls, and relatively deep serrations formed along the edges of the flaps; 'the distance across the aps -b'etween the outer edges of the serra.- is formed with inwardly projecting protrusions tions bein-g initially greater than Athe interior down the sides thereof adjacent their ends and width of the box whereby when said iiaps are beyond which the serrations pass when the naps folded into the box, the serrations will bend to are in folded position whereby to form stops for 5 extend substantially lengthwise of and frictionally engagement with thevbent serrations to prevent 5 engage the side walls of the box. possible unfolding of the flaps.

2. A structure as in claim 1, in which the box HENRY G. SCHMIDT. 

